Disk spacer



R. G. TAYLOR DISK SPACER Oct. 24, 1950 Filed July 24, 1948 INVENTOR.

Z/CHAPD G. 774 YLOR. BY

TJWJaa/Z ATYORA/E Y6.

Patented Oct. 24, 1950 2,527,234 DISK SPACER Richard G. Taylor, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to Taylor Metal Products Company, Mansfield,

Ohio, a partnership Application July 24, 1948, Serial No. 40,460

The present invention relates generally as indicated to a disc spacer and more particularly to a spacer for thedisc blades of a discin apparatus, and has for one of its primary objects the provision of a spacer of light-weight sturdy construction which not only efi'ectuates substantial savings in material but also in manufacturing costs.

Certain spacers heretofore employed in discing apparatus for the purpose of predeterminately 5 Claims. (01. 97-220) axially spacing the disc blades along the axle of the apparatus and. holding said disc blades substantially in planes normal to the axis of the axle have been fabricated from bulky castings or the like formed to non-rotatably fit over said axle, it being necessary to finish and square the opposite ends thereof as by grinding or other machining. r

Accordingly, it is another object of this invention to provide a unique form of spacer, the manufacture of which entails only therelatively simple operations of squarely cutting welded or seamless tubing to a desired length and welding specially formed rings thereinto adjacent each end.

Another object is to provide a spacer which is formed so that clearances are provided for the disc blades adjacent each end and so that it non-rotatably fits onto the axle of the discing apparatus and is retained co-axial on said axle without regard to the relative rotative disposition of the rings welded adjacent the opposite ends of said spacer.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail one illustrative embodiment of the invention, this being indicative, however, of but one of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed. 7

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a cross section view diametrically through an intermediate portion of a discing apparatus illustrating the spacer constituting the present invention between successive disc blades of said apparatus; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are end elevation views on a somewhat enlarged scale of the middle spacer of Fig. 1 as viewed from the lefthand and righthand ends thereof, respectively.

Referring now to the drawing and first more especially to Fig. 1 thereof, the portion of the discing apparatus exemplarily illustrated therein includes a square axle l with a series of disc blades :2 thereon, said disc blades. each being .formed with acentral opening therethrough of a cross'section complementarywith that of said axle whereby said disc blades and axle are nonrotatable relative to one another.

Between successive disc blades 2 for maintaining them in predetermined axially spaced rela tion. and normal to the axis'of said jaxle are the spacers 3 each of which comprises a" squarely cut length of tube 4, preferably Welded'steel tube rather than seamless steel tube because of the lower cost of the former. j

Secured within said tube 4 adjacent one end thereof is a ring 5 provided with a central opening 6 therethrough of a cross section complementary with that of said axle ly and with an axial flange or rim 'l, such flange terminating short of the adjacent end of said tube and being of a diameter so as to be a close fit within said tube. One convenient and inexpensive manner of securing said ring 5 in said tube 4 is by electric resistance welding at a plurality of circumferentially spaced points 8. Said ring 5 may be drawn from sheet steel stock and the opening 6 formed as by a piercing operation.

Secured within said tube 4 adjacent the other end thereof is a, ring 9 provided with an axial rim :0 terminating short of the adjacent end of said tube and spot-welded thereto at points ll, said ring 9 being the same as ring 5 except that the central opening I2 through the former is circular and of a diameter corresponding with the diagonal dimension of said axle I.

It is to be understood that a suitable clearance will be provided between the openings 6 and I2 in said rings 5 and 9 respectively and axle I to thus. facilitate axial shifting of said spacers 3 onto and from said axle when it is desired to replace or service any of the disc blades 2.

From the foregoing description it is now understandable that the present spacer 3 will be nonrotatable on said axle l by reason of the opening 6 in ring 5 being of a cross section complementary with that of said axle and will be co-axial on said axle by reason of the openings 6 and I2 through said rings 5 and 9 preventing lateral shifting of the correspondin ends of said spacer relative to said axle. As is apparent, this latter function is obtained without regard to the relative rotative disposition of said rings 5 and 9 when they are welded into said tube 4. This greatly facilitates manufacture of the spacer in that no special aligning jigs or bars need be employed. As a matter of fact, when the rims 8 and H of said rings are relative close fits within tube 4 as indicated, said rings will be more or less automatically positioned normal to the axis of said tube 4 whereby essentially the only positioning operation of said rings within said tube prior to welding is an endwise positioning which may be done without j igs or fixtures, if desired.

As previously indicated, the rims 8 and l l provide a clearance for the disc blades 2 so that said blades will be engaged only between successive tubes 4. In addition, such rims when spotwelded to said tube 4 provide surfaces which are readily accessible by one of the electrodes of the welding machine. These rims or flanges also preclude the possibility of reversed assembly of said rings in said tube. Another desirable feature of the present construction for simplifying the installation thereof is that the spacers need not be disposed in any particular end-to-end relationship on said axle I.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such, be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A spacer for discing apparatus, comprising a length of tube, and a pair of axially flanged rings secured transversely within said tube adjacent the opposite ends thereof, said rings being. respectively formed with a. non-circular and a circular opening centrally therethrough.

2. A spacer for discing apparatus, comprising a length of tube, and a pair of axially flanged rings secured transversely within said tube adjacent the opposite ends thereof, one of said rings being formed with a non-circular opening centrally therethrough, and the other of said rings being 4 formed with a circular opening centrally therethrough of a diameter substantially the same as the maximum dimension of such non-circular opening.

3. A spacer for discing apparatus, comprising a length of tube, a pair of rings secured transversely within said tube adjacent the opposite ends thereof, each of said rings being formed with an opening centrally therethrough and with an axial flange having a close fit within said tube and extending toward the adjacent end of said tube, the outer surfaces of such flanges being welded at a plurality of circumferentially spaced points to the inner surface of said tube, the openings through said rings being respectively circular and polygonal and the former being of diameter corresponding with the diagonal dimension of the latter.

4. A spacer for discing apparatus, comprising a length of tube, and a pair of rings secured transversely within said tube adjacent the opposite ends thereof, said rings being respectively formed with a non-circular and a circular opening centrally therethrough, such circular opening being of a diameter substantially the same as the maximum dimensionof such non-circular opening.

5. ,A spacer for discing apparatus, comprising a length of tube, and a pair of transversely disposed rings secured in axially spaced relation to said tube, said rings being respectively formed with a non-circular and a circular opening centrally therethrough.

RICHARD G. TAYLOR.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Stromet al Sept; 28, 1915 Number 

